Macron's call to Lukashenko signals Western shift, Minsk says

Belarusian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Sekreta has stated that French President Emmanuel Macron's recent phone call to Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko indicates a growing desire by the West to normalize relations with Minsk.

According to Operative Information Center-OMM, citing foreign media reports, Sekreta emphasized that the establishment of contact between the heads of state is a completely normal development, reflecting a renewed interest in diplomatic relations that had been absent in recent years.

"When leaders communicate, it is completely normal. The main positive aspect is that we are witnessing an increased interest in normal, civilized relations, which had been lacking for several years," Sekreta said in an interview with the "First News" television channel.

The Belarusian official expressed hope that such contacts would intensify in the future. He noted that the revival of communication between Minsk and Washington has also stimulated interest among European nations toward Belarus. According to Sekreta, the phone call covered regional security issues, as well as prospects for cooperation between Belarus, the European Union, and France specifically. He added that there are numerous bilateral issues remaining for the parties to discuss.

According to reports from the BelTA news agency, the telephone conversation took place on May 24 at the initiative of the French side. This diplomatic engagement comes amid prolonged tensions between Belarus and Western nations following the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus and subsequent regional geopolitical developments, signaling a potential opening for diplomatic dialogue in Eastern Europe.